Medical Detox Available For Women Near Lake County Florida

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Medical Detox Available for Women Near Lake County, FL

Women who choose to participate in detoxification programs are often experiencing a special set of problems, very different from men. Traditionally, addiction has been thought of as more of a male issue. That perception, however, has began to change, especially in Lake County.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2014), at least 13% of adult women have using illegal drugs sometime in the last 12 months. This drug use may consist of both illegal drugs and abuse of prescription painkillers. The use of prescription painkillers has increased exponentially women of all age groups.

SAMHSA also reported that almost 4% (about 4.6 million women) admitted to misusing prescription opioid painkillers in the past 12 months. And finally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), every three minutes a women is admitted to an emergency room for opioid painkiller misuse.

Why Detox is Different for Women

Women are more likely than men to have family obligations that cannot be ignored such as daycare for children. Single mothers must sometimes seek help from friends or family to step in while they undergo medical detox.

And of course, women are also mentally and emotionally different from men. Researchers of substance abuse have identified differences between men and women related to hormones, pregnancy, and menopause. During detox, these issues also must be identified and addressed.

Women who fight substance abuse also are more likely than men to be self-medicating than men. Reasons include mental illness, or having recollections of childhood trauma, such as physical, verbal, or sexual abuse. Also, domestic violence, divorce, or child custody issues may contribute to a woman’s desire to escape from the emotional pain of life.

Also, women are more likely to use substances to ease pain, control weight, and generally cope with difficult aspects of life, such as work, family, school, etc.

Women also tend to become tolerant to smaller amounts of substances than men. And finally, women who participate in substance abuse are also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, or panic disorder.

Women, Addiction, and Pregnancy

Women in Lake County and elsewhere are often concerned about seeking assistance for addiction during or after pregnancy. This is tragic, because this is among of the best reasons to get sober – for a child. However, legal problems and social repercussions, as well as difficulties obtaining childcare may discourage women from seeking treatment.

If a pregnant woman tries to abruptly quit drugs or alcohol without medical supervision, she can put the health of her unborn baby at risk. When supervised, medications may be rendered to treat opioid addiction in pregnant women, although newborn infants may still need assistance as they encounter their own withdrawal symptoms.

Generally speaking, however, the child has a much better chance of a positive outcome when the mother is being treated with medication for opioid addiction, rather than continuing to self-administer the opioids themselves.